Still Not Enough Room at the Inns : Cities Must Tackle Poor Records on Affordable Housing

It’s certainly not the first time. But it’s always disheartening when Orange County gets yet another poor report card on affordable housing. A recent report from the nonprofit Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a national research group, found that Orange County had one of the worst records in the country on affordable housing.

The report found, among other things, that eight in 10 poor families in Orange County were forced to spend at least half their income on housing--the second worst record in the nation. Nine out of 10 very poor families spent more than 30% of their incomes--the standard of affordability set by the federal government. Nor was there much in the way of housing assistance available to those in Orange County who needed it most.

It should come as no surprise, then, that parts of Orange County have an extremely serious problem with overcrowding, or that there are an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 persons, half of them children, who are homeless.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ report was based on 1986 figures. But there’s no reason to believe things have improved. On the contrary, the recession and an influx of immigrants likely have worsened the situation. Indeed, a more recent report by the Southern California Assn. of Governments found much the same pattern, as have other studies based on 1990 census data.

Report cards do nothing unless they awaken people to the seriousness of problems in their communities. For one thing, having statistics at hand can help affordable housing advocates make their case before city councils and county agencies.

The County Board of Supervisors apparently has been listening. Earlier this year, the board loosened restrictions on use of federal funds that have been accumulating in a reserve account in the county’s Housing Authority. Recently, the board authorized plans for county participation in three projects that will provide affordable housing for low-income and elderly residents. The county’s goal is to use the reserve funds to help build 1,000 new low-income units throughout the county within the next three to five years. While the county’s new commitment was long in coming, it is nonetheless very heartening.

But individual cities also must do a better job of addressing affordable housing needs. Among the major concerns among low-cost housing advocates is that many cities’ redevelopment agencies--which were formed primarily for commercial development and urban renewal--are sitting on funds that they are required under state law to set aside for affordable housing projects.

Some cities are stymied as to how to use these funds. But others are simply reluctant to provide housing for the poor in their communities.

The Legislature keeps coming up with new ways to pressure redevelopment agencies to use the money. But estimates are that $270 million or more have accumulated in these funds statewide. Aside from so-called federal “Section 8” funds, that’s the biggest pool of money earmarked for affordable housing construction in the state. It’s a crime that it isn’t being used to address the serious problems in Orange County and elsewhere. And, it should be added, affordable housing projects would help boost local economies by putting carpenters, plumbers and other tradespeople to work.

Finding appropriate projects is not easy, of course, especially in difficult economic times. But each city must commit itself to finding its own way of easing the affordable housing crunch. Orange County deserves a better report card than it is getting.